Last weekend I was one of more than 10,000 people at two different public events that took time to do the right thing on Memorial Day weekend.

One was a concert at Riverfest in Little Rock, and the other an NBA playoffs game in Memphis. Neither event was a “Memorial Day” ceremony but both were held on Memorial Day weekend, and both events recognized that we needed to stop and think about something besides fireworks and basketball on this special day.

Before each event, an announcer’s voice boomed from the speakers reminding us that the survival of our country depends on the sacrifice of those who are willing to protect it. This was followed by a “moment of silence” to honor our troops.

As a chaplain who works with communities like Russellville to try to help some of the 2.5 million service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, my mind immediately began to fill with names and faces of soldiers and family members that I’ve met who are hurting, grieving and struggling to make it home. I began to wonder about all those who didn’t get a chance to make it home.

I didn’t get very far, however. The moment of silence was just that, a moment. I didn’t have my stopwatch going, but neither event paused for more than 3 seconds. Just as my mind was leaving the triviality of my world and entering the soul of a more meaningful world, time was up! The fireworks started and it was back to Memorial Day fun.

I realized the shortening length of our nation’s “moments of silence” may point to a number of things. Maybe we’re afraid people will get bored or antsy to get on with the fun. Maybe we don’t want to stop and remember too long or it will hurt and require some change. Or maybe we are all just uncomfortable with sitting still and saying and doing nothing even for a minute.

In Psalm 46:10, we find the words, “Be still and know that I am God.” This is a famous verse but not one easily practiced. Some of us just don’t care enough to stop and think about truths that matter. Others of us really do care, but we can’t be still and reflect about important things because we’re anxious to get out there and do something about it.

More church programs, more volunteer hours, more Veteran programs, and harder work can easily take the place of us having the discipline to stop and just be. I’m guilty. I grew about learning to be a “doer of the word and not just a hearer only.” The problem is, somewhere along the line, I stopped taking time to be a hearer first.

I’m so grateful I live in a country where people do care. We care to get involved with our families, churches and communities. Some care enough to risk their lives, families and souls for this country. And on days like Memorial Day, we care enough to take time to do the right thing. We just don’t take enough time.

Steve Sullivan is the VA Chaplain and Director of VA/Clergy Partnership for Rural Veterans. He can be emailed at Steve.sullivan@va.gov